Steve Mason, Flyers shut out Rangers

NEW YORK-- Steve Mason made 34 saves for his first shutout in more than 10 months to help the Philadelphia Flyers start their first winning streak in five and a half weeks.
Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek scored 3:36 apart in the third period to help the Flyers to a 2-0 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
It was Mason's first shutout since March 5, 2016. He has played 40 games this season.

WATCH: All Flyers vs. Rangers highlights
The Flyers (24-19-6), who got 36 saves from Mason in a 3-2 overtime win at the New York Islanders on Sunday, have won back-to-back games for the first time since they won 10 in a row from Nov. 29-Dec. 14.
"It's been a tough stretch the last month or so mentally I think for everybody," Mason said. "We've had two games here the last couple days, on the road against two quality hockey clubs, and to be able to come away with four points is definitely something to build off."
Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves for the Rangers (31-17-1), who had a three-game winning streak end. New York was 0-for-3 on the power play and is 0-for-14 in its past four games.
"There's no doubt that our power play struggled a little bit," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "We had a lot of opportunities. Our 5-on-5 play was good.
"It's the type of game where you feel you deserve more, but there's some games like this."

Simmonds gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 6:09, and Voracek made it 2-0 at 9:45. The Flyers allowed one shot on goal the rest of the game.
"It kind of reminded me the way we were playing with that 10-game winning streak," Voracek said. "We were confident that we were going to find a way to win the game, and we did."
Mason made 16 saves in the first period, including on Rick Nash's one-timer from the right circle off the rush.
"It is a big save to make, something that gives you confidence," Mason said. "Obviously coming here into MSG, it's not an easy building to come away with two points in, so to preserve a 0-0 tie there was a big save and it's something the team could respond to as well."
Mason denied Michael Grabner, who was alone in the slot, with a right-pad save at 18:47 of the first period. He then stopped Grabner on the rebound.
"I was feeling good from the opening puck drop," Mason said. "Over the course of 60 minutes there are moments that can alter the outcome of games. It's a goaltender's job to come up with big saves."
Grabner hit the crossbar on a breakaway at 7:25 of the first period, inadvertently set up Simmonds for his goal, and Voracek's goal went in off of his leg.

Goal of the game

Simmonds scored with a backhand from the slot. The puck was loose in the crease after Lundqvist made a right-pad save on Voracek's shot from the right circle. Grabner tipped it across the slot to Simmonds, who put it in under the crossbar.

Save of the game

Mason used his right arm to stop Nash on a one-timer redirection from the slot off Mika Zibanejad's pass at 8:57 of the second period.

Highlight of the game

Mason offered a sign of what was to come at 8:32 of the first period, when he slid across his crease and made a splitting left-pad save on Nash's one-timer off a cross-circle pass from Pavel Buchnevich. It was his fifth save of the game.

Unsung performance of the game

Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who has been scratched twice in the past 17 games, went down on one knee and stole J.T. Miller's wraparound pass intended for Mats Zuccarello, who was in the slot with Mason out of position 4:33 into the second period.

They said it

"It's a real good road win. Points are so key right now that that's first and foremost. This building, obviously it's a hard place to win. At times it wasn't our prettiest effort or our cleanest effort, but it was a real good team effort. That's a quality two points and it's something to keep building on as we go forward." -- Flyers coach Dave Hakstol

Need to know

Mason won his 94th game for the Flyers, third behind Ron Hextall (240) and Bernie Parent (232). … Simmonds scored 20 goals for the fourth straight season.

What's next

Flyers: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; CSN-PH, SNO, NHL.TV)
Rangers:Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSG2, FS-O, NHL.TV)